Sakib Mahmuljin, retired General of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Arrested

At the order of the Prosecutor's Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina, former commander of the 3rd Corps of the ARBiH, Sakib Mahmuljin, was deprived of his liberty this morning. He is charged with war crimes committed by the „El Mujahid“ detachment, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria.

Acting on the order of the prosecutor from the Special Department for War Crimes of the Prosecutor's Office of BiH, police officers of SIPA deprived of liberty:

- Mahmuljin Sakib, born on October 13, 1952, in Kozarac, a citizen of BiH.

The suspect is under investigation and is suspected of acting contrary to the provisions of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions in his capacity as commander of the 3rd Corps of the Army of the Republic of BiH.

He is suspected of crimes committed in the period from July to October 1995 during the offensive combat operations of the 3rd Corps of the ARBiH in the wider area of Vozuća, in which the „El Mujahid“ detachment also participated. During these combat operations, its members killed about 50 prisoners of war of Serbian nationality who had previously been abducted from another unit of the 3rd Corps that had carried out the capture.

Furthermore, the said suspect is charged with inhumane treatment of about 20 prisoners of war and civilians, whom the aforementioned refused to immediately hand over to the Military Police unit in accordance with orders.

Sakib Mahmuljin, as commander of the 3rd Corps of the ARBiH, is charged with failing to prevent the commission of these criminal acts of war crimes against prisoners of war and civilians by members of the „El Mujahid“ detachment, and failing to punish them after the crime was committed.

He is charged with having information that members of this unit, subordinate to him, were preparing to commit these criminal acts or had already committed them, but did nothing to prevent the crimes and punish the perpetrators. He is charged with command responsibility for the criminal acts committed by the subordinate members of the „El Mujahid“ detachment.

Mahmuljin Sakib is suspected of the criminal offense of war crimes against prisoners of war, war crimes against the civilian population, and war crimes against the wounded and sick.

After being deprived of liberty early this morning in Sarajevo, the suspect will be handed over to the prosecutor in charge, who will examine the suspect and then decide on a proposal for detention or prohibition measures in accordance with the law.

Mahmuljin is a retired general of the Army of the Republic of BiH.